1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to artificial ski slopes as indoor facilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior indoor artificial ski slopes generally attempted to utilize naturally inclined terrain which provided artificially constructed slopes covered with artificial snow, protected with a roof or the like. More recently, however, there has developed a high demand for artificial ski slopes to be constructed in areas without high snowfall. When artificial ski slopes are constructed on flat ground, it is difficult to obtain sufficient slope elevation, ski run width, or length of run. The reasons for these difficulties primarily reside in construction problems encountered in attempting to erect structures of sufficient height and sturdiness which at the same time provide a challenging run. As a result, conventional indoor artificial ski runs are deficient in practical value as ski facilities for recreation.
Heretofore, the assignee of the present application had proposed an artificial ski complex having a helical ski run about a central tower. This concept has been granted U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,531. The present invention utilizes space linearly rather than vertically.